Trafford

Born during the June quarter 1923 in the Bucklow R.D. - ref: 8a/272, the
elder son of Stanley & Frances Nickson Cragg (nee Bowers).

No. 196 Squadron was formed at Driffield, Yorkshire, on 7th November 1942,
as a night-bomber squadron and during the period February - October 1943,
made many raids on enemy ports and industrial centres in Europe and also
played an active part in Gardening (minelaying) Operations.

It flew Wellingtons with No. 4 Group at first and then, after having left
Yorkshire and moved south to an airfield in Cambridgeshire, flew Stirlings
with No. 3 Group. On 1st December, by which time it was based in
Leicestershire, No. 196 was transferred from Bomber Command to the Allied
Expeditionary Air Force (AEAF). 

In February 1944 the supply-dropping to resistance forces in France began
and on D-Day twenty-three of the squadron's Mk IV Stirlings carried troops
to Normandy, followed later in the day by seventeen towing Gliders. On the
14th March 1944 the Sqn was posted to RAF Keevil to a Heavy Glider
Conversion Unit.  In September 1944, the squadron took part in the Arnhem
landings.

Commemorated on a separate plaque placed on the private family gravestone
of Flying Officer Geoffrey Clay Whitehurst in Altrincham (Hale) Cemetery.  
  M.I. (Altrincham) - "At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we
will remember him".